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Continuing Education at PAFA



Our Classes

Sketch-on-the-Go Workshop (Outdoor)

$115

with Frederic Kaplan

Calendar Next available session starts May 3, 2025 at 9 am

Saturday, 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. (Includes Rain Date: May 10)*
Instructor: Frederic Kaplan
Weekend Workshop
Credit: Non-Credit Only 

Register by December 16 for a 10% Early Bird Discount! Enter promo code EARLYBIRDSPRING2025 at checkout (and click “+” to add the discount). PAFA members at the Friend level and above receive an additional 10% off. Discount applies to CE regular adult Winter/Spring classes and workshops only. Studio rental programs, Open Academy (BFA) courses, certificate registration, gift certificates, membership purchases, and lockers are ineligible.  

Capture the active life of the city and its rich architecture. This is an excellent workshop for anyone who wants to learn to sketch on the bus or train, in cafés and public parks, or while traveling abroad. Topics include perspective, gauging proportions by eye, gesture figure drawing, and methods for simplifying form. All levels welcome.     

Learning Objectives 

Students will learn: 

  • Gesture figure drawing methods 
  • Basic perspective as applied to architecture 
  • Simplification of complex subjects   

*Rain Date: May 10. Please reserve the rain date in your schedule when registering – no refunds for withdrawals less than one week prior to the original workshop date, including for students unable to attend the postponed date. See policy guide, below.   

Image: Cynthia Heininger [CE Student], Logan Square.

Register by: April 25
Materials List
Winter/Spring 2025 CE Policy Guide, including withdrawal/refund policies

Certificate of Art (CA) Application: Core Curriculum

$75

This is the registration/application portion only to enroll in the Core Curriculum Certificate of Art.

If you're new to art, interested in taking classes but unsure of your direction, or returning to art after a long absence, the Core Curriculum Certificate of Art (CA) is designed for you!  Composed of 8 CE courses in drawing, painting, sculpture, and printmaking, including electives in your areas of interest, this structured curriculum provides a firm foundation across fine arts disciplines and direction for future studies or personal practice.  Discover your creative voice and move forward in your art-making by developing your observational skills, exploring a variety of materials and techniques, and cultivating personal expression.

Program and Enrollment Instructions:

  • Review the complete Core Corriculum CA description and policies before registering.
  • To be accepted to the Core Curriculum Certificate, students must first enroll via this application portal.
  • Students must enroll in courses within CE’s catalog to meet their certificate requirements. 
  • Students must register for at least one credit-bearing Continuing Education course at the time of application.
  • Students may keep track of their own progress using PAFA's CA Course List.
  • Certificate Application Deadline: Rolling. See course descriptions for individual class registration deadlines.

Additional Information:

  • Please note that Certificate application fees are non-refundable. Courses taken within the program are subject to CE’s standard withdrawal/refund policies.  See Procedures and Policies information or the Policy Guide included at the bottom of each course description.
  • For course selection, please review Certificate course requirements before enrolling to ensure application to the program. Be sure to select the credit option for credit-bearing courses or to gain approval for non-credit courses. For questions or course advice, contact PAFA’s Continuing Education Programs Office at 215-972-2029 or continuinged@pafa.edu.
  • Students are not required to enroll in Certificate programs to register for individual CE classes: members of the public are welcome to study on a course-by-course basis, for credit or non-credit, as their time and interests allow, for personal enrichment and enjoyment. However, only students who are registered for a certificate program, and are completing credit course requirements, are eligible to earn a certificate credential upon completion.
  • Certificates of Art do not constitute official academic undergraduate or graduate degrees (such as college associate's, bachelor's, or master's degrees).
  • By enrolling in this program, students agree to abide by the policies and regulations detailed on PAFA's Certificate website.   

Learn More About PAFA's Part-Time Certificate Programs:

Certificate of Art (CA) Application: Drawing and Painting Online Studies

$75

This is the registration/application portion only to enroll in the Drawing and Painting Online Studies Certificate of Art.

For students seeking to gain a firm foundation for their drawing and painting practice through the convenience of online learning, PAFA now presents the Drawing and Painting Online Studies Certificate of Art (CA) Program. Comprised of 6 online Continuing Education courses focusing on drawing and painting in a variety of media, with options to include illustration topics, this concise curriculum is designed to provide an introduction or refresher to observational drawing techniques, sound painting practices in oil/acrylic or watercolor, compositional concerns, perspective, color, and abstract concepts.  This program is ideal for students who wish to take advantage of PAFA's exceptional instruction but cannot attend on-campus courses due to distance, scheduling, or a variety personal concerns.

Program and Enrollment Instructions:

  • Review the complete Drawing and Painting Online Studies CA description and policies before registering.
  • To be accepted to the Drawing and Painting Online Studies Certificate, students must first enroll via this application portal.
  • Students must enroll in courses within CE’s catalog to meet their certificate requirements. 
  • Students must register for at least one credit-bearing Continuing Education course at the time of application.
  • Students may keep track of their own progress using PAFA's CA Drawing and Painting Online Studies Course List.
  • Certificate Application Deadline: Rolling. See course descriptions for individual class registration deadlines.

Additional Information:

  • Please note that Certificate application fees are non-refundable. Courses taken within the program are subject to CE’s standard withdrawal/refund policies.  See Procedures and Policies information or the Policy Guide included at the bottom of each course description.
  • For course selection, please review Certificate course requirements before enrolling to ensure application to the program. Be sure to select the credit option for credit-bearing courses or to gain approval for non-credit courses. For questions or course advice, contact PAFA’s Continuing Education Programs Office at 215-972-2029 or continuinged@pafa.edu.
  • Students are not required to enroll in Certificate programs to register for individual CE classes: members of the public are welcome to study on a course-by-course basis, for credit or non-credit, as their time and interests allow, for personal enrichment and enjoyment. However, only students who are registered for a certificate program, and are completing credit course requirements, are eligible to earn a certificate credential upon completion.
  • Certificates of Art do not constitute official academic undergraduate or graduate degrees (such as college associate's, bachelor's, or master's degrees).
  • By enrolling in this program, students agree to abide by the policies and regulations detailed on PAFA's Certificate website.   

Learn More About PAFA's Part-Time Certificate Programs:

Certificate of Art (CA) Application: Figure Studies

$75

This is the registration/application portion only to enroll in the Figure Studies Certificate of Art.

The Figure Studies Certificate of Art (CA) is designed for students who want to embrace the PAFA figurative tradition as the core of their artistic practice. Comprised of 8 required Continuing Education courses in drawing, painting, and sculpture, this curriculum provides students with a structured approach to exploring the proportions, anatomy, and expressive possibilities of the human figure with an emphasis on observational practices.  This program is ideal for students with an interest in improving their understanding and rendering of the human form for academic anatomy study, portfolio building, or personal studio practice.

Program and Enrollment Instructions:

  • Review the complete Figure Studies CA description and policies before registering.
  • To be accepted to the Figure Studies Certificate, students must first enroll via this application portal.
  • Students must enroll in courses within CE’s catalog to meet their certificate requirements. 
  • Students must register for at least one credit-bearing Continuing Education course at the time of application.
  • Students may keep track of their own progress using PAFA's CA Figure Studies Course List.
  • Certificate Application Deadline: Rolling. See course descriptions for individual class registration deadlines.

Additional Information:

  • Please note that Certificate application fees are non-refundable. Courses taken within the program are subject to CE’s standard withdrawal/refund policies.  See Procedures and Policies information or the Policy Guide included at the bottom of each course description.
  • For course selection, please review Certificate course requirements before enrolling to ensure application to the program. Be sure to select the credit option for credit-bearing courses or to gain approval for non-credit courses. For questions or course advice, contact PAFA’s Continuing Education Programs Office at 215-972-2029 or continuinged@pafa.edu.
  • Students are not required to enroll in Certificate programs to register for individual CE classes: members of the public are welcome to study on a course-by-course basis, for credit or non-credit, as their time and interests allow, for personal enrichment and enjoyment. However, only students who are registered for a certificate program, and are completing credit course requirements, are eligible to earn a certificate credential upon completion.
  • Certificates of Art do not constitute official academic undergraduate or graduate degrees (such as college associate's, bachelor's, or master's degrees).
  • By enrolling in this program, students agree to abide by the policies and regulations detailed on PAFA's Certificate website.   

Learn More About PAFA's Part-Time Certificate Programs:

PAFA Friend Membership

$150

Become a PAFA Member at the Friend Level or above, and save 10% on CE Classes and Workshops! Discount not included for special programs such as Open Academy or Studio Rental Programs.

Friend Membership confers all the benefits of Household Membership for 2 adults and their dependant children under 18, plus:

  • Six complimentary guest passes to share with family and friends
  • 10% discount on Continuing Education classes and workshops
  • Complimentary admission to the members-only Curator Conversation lecture series
  • Reciprocal membership to 1,200+ museums in North America through the Reciprocal Organization of Associated Museums (ROAM) and the North American Reciprocal Museum Program (NARM)

Learn more about all the PAFA Memberhip Levels!





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